In the processing of fluids, in particular of fluids flowing in pipes, the use of devices called static mixers is widely known. A static mixer essentially consists of an articulated, three-dimensional, solid structure, i.e. consisting of multiple elements having planar or curved surfaces, variously arranged and angled to the flow direction, suitable to cause continuous breakdowns of the fluid stream flowing in the pipe, leading a strong turbulence in the same which cause a quick stirring of the individual threads of the stream, until obtaining a blending thereof sufficiently uniform for the specific application.
The introduction of static mixers in pipes provides a simple solution to mixing fluids. Static mixtures are traditionally manufactured by mechanical machining of the individual elements of the structure and the subsequent assembly thereof, for example by welding or other conventional, mechanical anchoring methods, to finally form the three-dimensional structure which characterizes these devices.
Besides the remarkable advantages in terms of functionality, cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and efficiency of the above-mentioned static mixers, they also have some substantial disadvantages, due precisely to the need of assembling different elements and components to form the internal structure intended to accomplish the mixing. The joints between said components and between the same and the pipe cause roughness, defective or irregular welding lines, sharp changes of direction and/or of inclination and so on, with the consequent formation of undesirable dead corners. This causes an undesirable phenomenon, i.e. the formation of stagnation zones or in any case zones wherein a slowing-down of fluid flow takes place, in correspondence whereof the individual products being blended may undergo degradation (in particular, depending on the nature of the fluids processed, a decrease but also an increase in viscosity, as well as an alteration of other chemical-physical properties or of the chemical structure itself), resulting in the risk of defects of and damage to the final product obtained from the processing of the blended products. Further, static mixers are traditionally made with solid materials that are made smooth and have uniform surface properties.
As such, there is a need to create a static mixer that does not rely upon mechanical methods for joining the structure. Further, there is a need for static mixer that allows for controlled changes to the mixer material to thereby improve upon the static mixer itself. Lastly, there exists a need to create a static mixer that is tailored to the fluids that are mixed.